Close Reading (18 November 2011)

High Drama- By Adam Green
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/jesse-eisenberg-high-drama/

       Adam Green uses precise diction and imagery to create accurate depictions of both Jessie Eisenberg and Nina Arianda that highlight key differences between the two. He begins with a detailed description of Eisenberg, stating he posesses a "brainy, made-in-New York brand of awkwardness". The author creates a deeper image as he describes how Eisenberg "slouched in a seat" during the interview. Eisenberg, writer and star of Asuncion, plays a "cerebral, neurotic loser"; a character supposedly modeled after Eisenberg himself. However, he wants to make clear that the character, Edgar, "is more of a character--his professed anatonical inadequacies... are 'not autobiographical,'". The resulting image of Eisenberg is one of a slightly messy, incredibly artistic person.
       Conversely, Green's depiction of Nina Arianda begins with an engaging introduction: "an unknown actress sets the theater world on fire with a knockout performance". Already the reader notices a sharp contrast to Eisenberg's eccentric description. Green goes on to set up the play Arianda is starring in, Venus in Fur, and continues to praise the young actress: "...Arianda is an unalloyed delight, taking us through Vanda's every transformation with whip-crack precision and a pro's comic timing." The use of "whip-crack precision" brings a sense of razor-sharp clarity into Arianda's depiction, further contrasting Eisenberg's more hazy characterization.

Response to Course Material

       After looking over the poems we wrote our second essay on, I still think I don't have the skill of picking apart a poem and being able to write on it. I think that will be the hardest part of this class.
       I really appreciate the review of the different literary eras because sometimes it's important to revisit basic information like that. However, while Prezi looks cool, I think it's really hard at first to be able to use the confusing controls.
       Analyzing Ceremony will be really different from analyzing the two plays we have so far. I think we will need to focus more on the larger ideas rather than looking at every word and sentence, because of the sheer length of the novel.

The Conch Shell

1970 Also. Choose a work of recognized literary merit in which a specific inanimate object (e.g., a seashell, a handkerchief, a painting) is important, and write an essay in which you show how two or three of the purposes the object serves are related to one another.

       Inamimate objects, such as a flag, can serve a variety of purposes: they can bring people together or represent specific values. In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, an important object is the conch shell discovered upon arrival on the island. The conch shell serves as a signal to bring the group of boys together, an object of power and control, and finally a symbol of order on the island.

       When Ralph and Piggy first arrive on the island, they know that some of the boys from the plane crash must also be on the same island with them. The conch shell serves as a auditory signal to bring the boys together. By blowing the conch, Piggy establishes a common meeting point for the group, which in turn creates a sense of community and identity among the boys. The boys begin to exhibit social tendencies found within the adult world, such as the need for a leader and the resulting tensions from the search for power.

       Piggy remains in possession of the conch because, as a stout boy with health issues, he realizes that his only source of power in that primal microcosm of adult society is the conch. The conch, which brought the boys together, continues to be an object of control. By establishing the precedent of the power of speech in anyone who holds the conch, Piggy hopes to create power for himself in a democratic way as the boys begin the deliberations to find a leader.

       The situation on the island remains relatively organized and orderly as the conch shell remains present. The group of boys go about choosing a leader, allotting specific tasks, and carrying out those tasks without any major problems. The conch, however, loses its vibrancy and power as tensions between groups on the island erupt. With the death of the conch's constant guardian, Piggy, the conch is also shattered and pure animal violence breaks out among the boys. The chaos that ensues is a testament to the conch's role as a symbol of order.

       The conch begins the novel as a signal to bring the boys together through its ability to produce sound. It becomes a object of power, specifically for Piggy, and then is revealed as a symbol of order that, when destroyed, releases a wave of barbarity crashing down on the boys. Overall, the power the conch possesses manifests itself in different forms that create various reactions from the boys throughout the novel.